Providing a path-based identifier

• US 20070100849A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Deolalikar, Vinay, Pradhan, Salil, Serra, Bill, Caban, Alipio, Lyon, Geoff, Badillo, Jorge
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A path-based identifier is provided. An entity identifier is generated at an entity of a supply chain and the entity identifier is based on a reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated. In addition, an updated path-based identifier is stored based on a predetermined function, where the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

Claims

1. A method of providing a path-based identifier, the method comprising:

generating, at an entity of a supply chain, an entity identifier, the entity identifier being based on a reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated; and

storing an updated path-based identifier based on a predetermined function, wherein the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises storing the updated path-based identifier in a server, wherein the updated path-based identifier is configured for use in authenticating a package.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an entity identifier further comprises allocating points to the entity at which the entity identifier is assigned, wherein said points are allocated based on a reliability of the entity at which the entity identifier is generated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of allocating points based on the reliability of the entity further comprises allocating points based on a relationship of the entity at which the entity identifier is assigned and at least one of a next or a previous entity of a package path of the supply chain.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises selecting a predetermined number of at least one of highest weighted reliability scores and lowest weighted reliability scores from a previously stored path-based identifier and the entity identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises affixing the updated path-based identifier in at least one of a printed material, a label, an RFID tag, an embedded microprocessor, an electronic substrate or a type of electronic active device with memory capabilities and internal power.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

reading the path-based identifier; and

determining a reliability of a path taken by the package through the supply chain based on the path-based identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises selecting a higher of the entity identifier and a previously stored path-based identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises performing a sum of a previously stored path-based identifier and the entity identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises inserting the entity identifier at a predetermined location of the updated path-based identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises inserting the entity identifier into the updated path-based identifier along with a unique entity designation identifying the entity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the updated path-based identifier further comprises augmenting a previously stored path-based identifier with the entity identifier.

13. A method of authenticating a package based upon a path-based identifier, said method comprising:

reading the path-based identifier;

determining a reliability of a path taken by the package through a supply chain based upon the path-based identifier; and

authenticating the package based upon the determined reliability of the path.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the path-based identifier comprises points and wherein the step of determining the reliability of the package further comprises determining the number value of the points to authenticate the package.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining the number value of the points further comprises determining number values based on the reliabilities of entities of the supply chain through which the package traveled.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of reading the path-based identifier further comprises reading the path-based identifier from at least one of a printed material, a label, an RFID tag, an embedded microprocessor, an electronic substrate or a type of electronic active device with memory capabilities and internal power.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein authenticating the package further comprises authenticating the package based on the path-based identifier by comparing the path-based identifier of the package to a path-based identifier stored in a server in association with a package identifier of the package.

18. A system for providing a path-based identifier, the system comprising:

an entity identifier generating module to generate an entity identifier at an entity of a supply chain, the entity identifier being based on the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated; and

an identifier affixing module configured to affix a path-based identifier to a package based on a predetermined function, wherein the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a reliability checking module to determine reliability of a path taken by the package through a supply chain based on the path-based identifier affixed to the package.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

an authentication module to determine authenticity of the package based on the path-based identifier stored in an identifier store of the package.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the path-based identifier comprises metadata representing the reliability of the path taken by the package along the supply chain.

22. A system for providing a path-based identifier, the system comprising:

means for generating, at an entity of a supply chain, an entity identifier, the entity identifier being based on reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated; and

means for storing an updated path-based identifier based on a predetermined function, wherein the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for reading the path-based identifier; and

means for determining reliability of a path taken by a package through a supply chain based on the path-based identifier.

24. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code that, when executed, causes a computer to perform the following:

generating, at an entity of a supply chain, an entity identifier, the entity identifier being based on reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated; and

storing an updated path-based identifier based on a predetermined function, wherein the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.